Tag: creative writing

Writing Tip of the Week: Writing the Ending First

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Every story has an ending, a finale, or a denouement.  It’s the feeling that everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow, the threats defeated, and the main character has grown and learned from their trials and tribulations.  What the reader started with in Chapter One is a far cry from where we are as The End approaches.

Starting a story can be a challenge.  Ending one can be equally challenging, but it has the potential to be easier to write than the first chapter of a story.  So, what if you wrote the big finale first and worked backward?

Let’s talk about it!

The End is Inevitable

At some point, you will be writing the final chapters of your book.  If you are already in the drafting phase, you have an outline detailing or sketching how the narrative will go from start to finish.  You have the basics down, but you can’t get into the opening chapter even with the outline.

Give yourself permission to skip to the end.

Does the finale of your book excite you?  Can you envision how all the pieces of the story’s puzzle come together in those final chapters?  Good.  Then start there.  Pick a point toward the end of the story and write until you get to the last word.  

You’ve now laid out the foundation on which the rest of the story can build.

What happens before to lead to the finale?  And before that?  And before that? 

Does the finale alter the events, locations, characters, or choices you sketched in your outline?  

If so, go back through your outline and fine-tune things.  

Begin Again

Now you know where all roads are leading.  It’s time to examine the first chapter and determine where your main character begins their journey.  

You may have to change a few things, or you might have to gut the entire beginning and start over, which is sometimes part of the creative process.  Knowing your story’s direction and end is essential.  It lets you know what your main character is moving toward and whether or not they achieve or fail at their primary goal.

Personally…

I enjoy writing the finale first, even in draft form.  I like to see where I take the characters and how the conflict is resolved.  It can give me insights into how the characters can grow and develop throughout the story and allows me to examine how their arc begins based on where it ends.

Writing Exercise: Look to the Movies

Find a few movies you’ve never seen and watch the final fifteen minutes.  Now, based on that information, write a quick paragraph about where you think the main character’s journey began and what may have happened to lead them to their current situation.  

Then, watch the movie and see if you were right, close, or way off in your assessment. 

Final Thoughts

The ending of a story is a key piece of the narrative puzzle.  If you’re having trouble developing a solid beginning, work on the finale and move backward to see how events led to the ending you wrote.

Doing this has helped me develop stronger character arcs and decide on better starting points for my characters in several scripts and stories I’ve written.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Exercise of the Week: Describe the Weather

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Weather.  It’s around us 24/7, and it can impact our lives positively and negatively.  It can also be a great topic to explore in creative writing.  What the weather is in your story can show us how your characters react to external forces interfering with their lives and give the reader insight into who they are.

Let’s get started!

Exercise #1

What’s the weather like where you are right now?  If you looked out the window or stepped outside, how would your five senses react to what you are witnessing?

Write a paragraph describing your current weather using your five senses.  Remember to show and not tell.

Exercise #2

As I said in the intro paragraph, the weather is an external force that can impact a character.  Think back to when a weather event impacted you positively or negatively, and write a 500-word short story about it.  

What led up to your encounter with this weather event?  Did your response to the weather make things better or worse?  How did you resolve any problems related to the weather event?  If it was a positive event – like perfect sunny weather while on vacation – how did the weather make for a perfect getaway?

Exercise #3

Take one of the fictional characters you’ve created and plunk them into a crazy weather event.  How will they react?  How will they describe the weather?  What conflict-driven issues could they have as they work to get out of the weather event you’ve placed them in?  

Write 500 words about it and have some fun with the weather and this particular character.  Did you learn more about your character by putting them through something like this?

Final Thoughts

The weather in a story is as important as the story’s location.  It’s important to not neglect the weather in your narrative and to find creative ways to show and not tell your reader what the weather is.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: The Power of Doing Nothing

Posted on by Ian Dawson

A lot of us today feel the need to always be doing something.  Anything.  Whether reading, doom-scrolling on our phones, talking, exercising, or any number of activities, the lack of doing something can make us anxious or feel unproductive.  And while there is a case to be made that being productive is a good thing, there is also a strong argument about doing the exact opposite…

Nothing.

I know; it sounds like a crazy concept.  But author Neil Gaiman uses doing nothing as part of his creative tool kit, and it’s definitely something to consider using when you sit down to write.

So, let’s talk about it!

Why Do Nothing?

Giving your mind a chance to relax can help you focus on your creativity.  This is especially true when you are in the process of writing.  It’s a way to free your mind and create a safe space for ideas to flow and float to the surface of your consciousness. 

It can be a challenge to do this, but if you are already writing, taking a moment to stop and think instead of panicking about not having an idea or next sentence in mind can be a great way to give yourself permission to take a creative breath before moving forward.

The hard part will be not doing something else, but with practice, you can train yourself to decide when you sit down to write to either write or do nothing.

Would this Work If I Was Doing Something Else?

Short answer: Yes!  I often come up with ideas or new concepts for stories or chapters when I’m on a walk at work or working out, even when relaxing at the end of a long day.  Allowing yourself to be creative while not feeling pressured to create can help you develop ideas.

Just make sure you have a notepad or phone handy to jot any ideas down.

This is my personal view, and it works well for me.  It is important to find creative tactics that work best for you and stick with them.  

Neil Gaiman: In His Own Words

But you don’t have to take my word for it.  Here’s Neil Gaiman, in his own words, speaking about allowing himself to do “absolutely nothing, or write.”

Final Thoughts

While it’s easy for us to become overly distracted by everything in and outside our lives, giving yourself permission to do nothing can have great creative benefits.  Taking this concept into an activity that doesn’t require much thought can allow your brain to work out creative concepts.  

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: An Audience of One

Posted on by Ian Dawson
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When you start to work on any writing project, whether it’s a novel, screenplay, poem, or short story, it’s important to remember that you are the initial audience for the project. This may seem obvious, but often we can get so wrapped up in trying to figure out what others want, what the anonymous readers or viewers may want, that we can get off track when writing something meaningful to ourselves.

The key to creating something that resonates with others is ensuring it resonates with you as you develop and write it.

Let’s talk about it!

Remember, You’re Your #1 Customer

You. Yes, you, The Writer, are the first to read your novel, screenplay, or other written work. Does it make you laugh? Does it generate the right emotional beats as you read? Are you drawn into the story? Can you relate to the characters?  

These are all great things to consider as you write and work on subsequent drafts.  

Every published novel and produced screenplay had to, at some point, connect with the writer of that work to make them confident enough to share it with others. If you are pleased with what you’ve written and feel it’s ready to share, that may indicate you’re on the right track.

What If I’m Not Happy with What I’ve Written?

If you’re having issues connecting with the story and the characters or are not enjoying what you’re writing, STOP!

Especially if it’s not a writing assignment, there’s no reason why you need to slog through a creative endeavor that feels like a punishment. 

Some stories can be more challenging to craft and assemble than others. However, even the challenges should be a positive endeavor, not one fraught with agony or frustration. And while you will always have to contend with various story problems, those shouldn’t make you want to quit writing altogether.

My suggestion if you dread working on a writing project: Walk Away. Work on something else. Working on another unrelated project can free your mind to work through the issues you’re having with the other story.  

Then, if I decide to go back to that problematic project, I may have the answers I need to get it done.

Enjoy the Whole Process

Writing takes time, and it takes patience. And it takes your creative effort to make your story a reality. From idea to final draft, you must find ways to enjoy what you’re working on since you will live with this story and its character for several months, if not years.

Because of this, you need to think of yourself as the primary audience for your work. You’re writing a story you want to read or see on the screen. Your excitement and energy will help invigorate the story and keep you and the project going.

Allow Yourself to Focus on Y-O-U

In our ever-present social media-obsessed, 24-hour news cycle, 1000 new shows streaming per day world, it can be a challenge to sit down and focus on your own creative needs. But we need to shut out the noise and nurture our creativity and stories to find sanity and balance in our everyday lives.

Yes, eventually, your stories will be consumed by others. But today, at this moment, as you sit and write and create, it’s all yours. Yours to build, to change, to evolve. Don’t let negativity from inside your mind or the outside world take that away from you.

You owe it to yourself to create.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Exercise of the Week: Pick a Favorite Movie

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Last time, we played around with movie visuals, working to see if we could figure out what was happening in a movie without sound or dialogue.  In that exercise, you picked a movie you’d never seen.

This time, pick one of your favorite movies.  Old or new.  Any genre.  Doesn’t matter.  Once you have one or a few in mind, you’ll be ready for this exercise.

Let’s get started.

Watch the Movie

You love and enjoy it, so watching it again shouldn’t be a big deal.  But this time, as you watch, make notes about why you like this particular film.  Is it the story?  The characters?  The dialogue?  The visuals?  The film score?  What draws you into the film and holds your interest time and time again?

Are there specific scenes that are memorable to you?  Why?  What makes those scenes or sequences stand out in your mind above the others?

Read the Script

Find the script online and read through it.  Does the script give you similar emotions or feelings to the film?  Are there any changes you notice between the text of the screenplay and the completed film?  If so, why do you think these changes were made?

Watch the Movie Again with a Critical Eye

I’m not asking you to change your opinion or enjoyment of the movie you’ve chosen.  Watch the film in this exercise and analyze what works and doesn’t.  What are the strong points of the story, characters, etc.?  What are some of the weaker moments in the film?  

Would the film still work without them, or are they needed to move the story forward?

Re-read the script.  Were these scenes in there, or were they added later?

Why Am I Doing This?

By digging deeper and analyzing your favorite films, you can learn how these screenwriters crafted a narrative and how the filmmakers interpreted the words into a completed film.  Your task as a screenwriter is to create a compelling world on the page that can be elevated by other creative talents to become something still representative of what’s written.  

Final Thoughts

A screenplay is a blueprint for a massive construction project that becomes a beehive of creativity populated by actors, production designers, directors, costume designers, digital artists, composures, and hundreds – if not thousands – more.  

Taking the time to dig deeper into the initial creative process and the text that was turned into the film, learning from in its original form, can help you understand the screenwriting process and the work needed to bring those words to life.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: So, You Want to Write a Movie?

Posted on by Ian Dawson

We’ve all told ourselves or a group of friends at once in our lives, “I could write something better than that!” And, while that may be true, few people ever act on that proposition in a way that proves they can craft a compelling 110-page story for the big -or, in today’s world, streaming – screen.

If you are curious about how to get started, let’s talk about ways to familiarize yourself with screenplays and scriptwriting.

READ Screenplays

Much like a novelist should read books, an aspiring screenwriter should take the time to read many screenplays from different genres and decades.  Screenplays for movies you’ve seen and ones for movies you haven’t seen.  

By doing this, you’ll notice how screenplay formatting has evolved over the years.  Camera angles were typed into screenplays for decades, but now they are added sparingly, if at all.  You’ll see how different writers in various decades incorporate flashbacks or dream sequences and how they introduce a character or setting.  

A screenplay is an amazing piece of art, acting as a blueprint for a larger entity – a film – but also delivering a compelling and complete story in a limited number of pages and page space.  There’s no room to elaborate or explain; get in, deliver the info, and get out.

And despite these limitations, screenwriters can keep you turning the page as fast as any novel can. 

There are many, many websites available that offer up .pdf versions of screenplays.  One of them is www.thescriptlab.com which constantly adds scripts to its library.

Watch-Along

Once you’ve read several scripts, find a few for current movies – preferably the SHOOTING SCRIPT – and watch the film as you follow along with the screenplay.  How did the creative team, the director, and the actors bring the words on the page to life?  If you haven’t seen the film before, is what you envisioned when you first read the script what ended up in the film?

Learn the Structure

How is a screen story told?  How is it different than a novel?  Many books are available that break down screenplay structure, along with websites that present methodologies that can help you take your story and craft it into a screenplay.  From Robert McKee’s Story to Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, and Eric Edson’s The Story Solution, find what works best for you and try it out.  

Learn the Formatting

The basics of screenplay formatting have remained fairly constant over the past few decades.  However, minor changes have been made that can mean the difference between your script looking amateur and like a pro’s.  

I recommend reading the Best Screenplay nominated scripts from a previous couple of years to see what these writers did regarding formatting.  It’s also important to seek out produced screenplays that give examples of how to format text messaging or social media-related items in a script if you plan to use them in your story.  

Do I Need Special Software?

You can find free screenwriting software online if you’re dabbling in the screenwriting playground.  If you want to take it seriously, software like Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter is available and is considered the industry standard.  Both can be a bit pricey, so if you want to try writing a script for fun, find a free program first.

Final Thoughts

I love screenwriting.  I love reading scripts.  I love the process of developing and writing a screenplay.  It’s a fun, creative experience.  Learning from the masters, exploring how stories are crafted, and comparing the script to the finished film are great ways to get excited and energized about the process.  

Happy Screenwriting, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Exercise of the Week: Describe an Object

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Description. When it comes to a story, it can immerse a reader, giving them the sights, sounds, and smells of the world you’ve created. From modern cityscapes to medieval villages, describing what you want the reader to see can have a significant impact.

But let’s start smaller than a city or village. Let’s start with something simple: an object.

The Assignment

Pick an object, any object. It can be something on your desk or table, something in the room; pick something out.  

Examine it. Really get to know this object. If you can hold it, like a coffee mug, feel the weight and texture of the item.

Take notes about the object. Jot down the basics using your five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and feel (you may skip taste if you didn’t choose a food or beverage as your object). How does it look from different angles?

Once you have your notes, write a descriptive paragraph about the object. How detailed can you get and still craft a compelling paragraph about this random item?

Bonus Assignment #1

Describe the same object in a few words or a single sentence, but give the reader enough detail to know the exact object. 

Bonus Assignment #2

Get technical. Research precisely what materials were used to make the object and give the reader an in-depth profile of its components. Plastics, metals, rubber, and wire. Get into the nuts and bolts that make the object what it is.

Final Thoughts

While not all objects and items mentioned in a story have meaning, there are times when you’ll want the reader to focus on something particular for a specific reason. Practicing descriptions of basic objects can help you strengthen your writing skills and give you another creative tool to work with.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: Scratch Pad Drafting

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Rewriting can seem like a daunting task, one often more of a challenge than the initial first draft of your manuscript.  Now that your ideas are on the page, you can begin crafting and fine-tuning them into a stronger narrative.  Making these changes in a work this is tens- or hundreds of thousands of words can also be overwhelming.

That’s why I recommend what I call Scratch Pad Drafting.

This Old Date

I highly recommend that you keep multiple dated drafts of all your manuscripts.  From the first to the last, having a historical record of your story’s evolution is crucial.  This is also important if something happens and you must go back in time to retrieve something you omitted from subsequent drafts.

Free Your Mind

Cutting and adding paragraphs or chapters in a seemingly completed manuscript can be tricky, especially if you’re writing on the fly.  There will be times – many of them – when you’ll be reading through and find that a section doesn’t work.  

What to do?

Have another document open that you can use to workshop fresh ideas.  This blank canvas allows you to try new things, work out ideas, and punch up dialogue without fear of reformatting or other issues that can crop up when working on the manuscript.  Now you have free reign to play around and work things out until you are satisfied with the new version.  

Then, copy and paste the new material and add it to the manuscript.

Punching Things Up

The Scratch Pad can also be helpful when working out a character or location description.  You can work to create the most descriptive sentence using the least number of words.  Or, you can embellish and weave an intricate tapestry of sights, smells, sounds, and more to describe a person, place, or thing.

This is the best place to try those things out.  You’re not affecting the manuscript while you work, and once you have the best version available, you can add it to the draft you’re working on.

This is also good as a place to punch up dialogue.  You can work out important exchanges, jokes, and other moments to make them more realistic and truer to your characters.  Again, the Scratch Pad is the place to play around and find the best version to serve your story and enhance the reader’s experience.

Final Thoughts

There’s always room to fine-tune and refine your work as you craft your next draft.  Using a separate document to work on new sequences, descriptions, and dialogue gives you an open space to play and create without the burden of affecting the manuscript before the time comes to do so.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Writing Tip of the Week: Have You Ever Had a “Writer’s High”?

Posted on by Ian Dawson

I’m an avid runner, and one of the phenomena that can kick in during a solid workout is “runner’s high.” Johns Hopkins explains: “As you hit your stride, your body releases hormones called endorphins.  Popular culture identifies these as the chemicals behind “runner’s high,” a short-lasting, deeply euphoric state following intense exercise.” But is this feeling only available to those who exercise with intensity?  

I believe writers can experience something similar, what could be known as a Writer’s High.  If you’ve ever found yourself writing, losing track of time, and realizing you’ve written thousands of words without thinking about it, that is a Writer’s High.

It’s that moment when everything comes together.  You’ve achieved a Writer’s High when your story, characters, dialogue, and imagination merge into one entity that creates magic on the page.  You’re in a creative zone, flexing your storytelling muscles, so it’s not a chore and doesn’t feel like work.

When the creativity flows, you’re definitely in the Writer’s High zone.  But is it something you can fake until you achieve it naturally?

I believe you can.  Like running, it can take time to reach a Writer’s High, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work and train yourself to focus on a goal and stay tuned into that specific goal until it’s achieved.  And once you lock in and start moving, the runner’s high kicks in after a while, and before you know it, the run is over.

Your writing goals can be like this.  You can train and focus on what you want to achieve; before you know it, the words are effortlessly flowing from your mind to the page.  And you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and a euphoric feeling that you’ll want to have again and again.

And you don’t have to buy a special pair of shoes to help achieve it.

Are you ready to work toward your Writer’s High?

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!

Quote Source: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running

Writing Exercise: Silencing Your Inner Critic

Posted on by Ian Dawson

Everyone has an inner monologue that lives inside their head 24/7. Sometimes it can be a strong motivator that helps you accomplish great things and summon up the courage to make things happen.  

But, like all things in the world, there’s a dark side to this voice. The critical side. The side that talks you out of doing things. The side that tells you that you can’t do it. You aren’t good enough, smart enough, or creative enough.

I hate that side of my inner voice, and I’m sure you do, too.

The exterior world can seem like a constant assault of negativity, pessimism, hate, and evil. We are inundated by it in the news, on social media, on TV shows, and by people we encounter daily. So it’s no surprise that this inner voice turns against us when the world seems determined to take us down and make us give up.

It’s time to turn that around.

I’m not a psychologist, but I do believe we can take steps to silence this inner critic and accomplish our creative goals.

Dear Diary…

Your inner critic has one goal: to create doubts in your head that prevent you from being creative. It’s an insidious creature with zero regards for you or your well-being.

Fight against it by writing about it. Fight fire with fire.

Have a journal, pen and paper, a Notes page on your phone ready to use when that evil inner voice comes a-callin’.

Write down what it’s telling you, then write something positive that contradicts what it’s saying. Keep writing, and writing, doing the opposite of what it’s trying to prevent you from doing.  

Then close the journal, turn over the paper, close the Notes app, and return to work.

By writing about your inner critic, you take away some of its power. As you continue this practice, the intention is for the inner critic to pop up less. In turn, the journaling should diminish over time so that when you begin to create, your mind is open and free to do so.

Make the inner voice afraid of you and your power over it.

Fight Back

If you don’t want to journal but still want that voice to shut itself up, don’t let it get to you. Ignore it by continuing to write, perform, or create, giving it no power or control over your mind.  

Its goal is to get you to stop your creative endeavor, so whatever you can do to fight through that temptation, do so. It may be a challenge at first, but your creativity will strengthen daily, and your inner critic will weaken as you ignore its taunts. Keep moving forward on whatever creative project you’re working on, and don’t stop.

Talk Over It

If you’re a writer, you have the power of words at your fingertips. Your words. Your story or poetry. Start talking when that critical demon rears its ugly head, luring you toward the rocks of pessimism and negativity.

Read your work out loud. Talk and talk and talk until you’ve exorcised that inner critic and sent it back to the depths of darkness where it rightfully belongs.  

As you read, if you get to the end of your writing, start writing more and reading it aloud. Keep that momentum until that inner critic has disappeared, and you can return to writing with a clear, unobstructed imagination.

Final Thoughts

You have something to say. Your inner critic doesn’t, and shouldn’t, have the power to stop you. By taking active steps to silence it, you will see your creativity and productivity increase, and you’ll get more accomplished in the long run.

Happy Writing, and I’ll see you next time!